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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
She fought both the desire to cry out, and the urge to succumb to the blackness calling to her, but finally lost the former as the pain became more than she could bear. The man smiled as he reared the wooden bat once again.
“Don’t think you can take much more, Missy...”
Her limbs felt as though the chains suspending them above her head would break them. But she managed a glare in the man’s direction as she snarled through gritted teeth.
“Give it your best shot, you neanderthal...”
The large man swung the bat again, this time hitting her in the right leg. Parker screamed as the bone snapped, sending shooting pains up her thigh and into her hips. He swung the wooden bat again, hitting her sharply in the kidney. Parker tried to suppress any sound, but a groan escaped. She wondered how far the man had been instructed to go; she couldn’t really remember how long he’d been at it already, nor could she recall when she was brought to the room she was in, or where it was located. Parker tried to focus her mind on something other than the pain. She tried to remember what happened. And as the bat struck her abdomen, it came back to her: Lyle. That twisted smile on his face filled her mind with the memory of him injecting her with something that knocked her out cold.
The bat lit into her again, this time snapping several ribs on her left side. She cried out in pain, tears streaming down her face; but there was no help for her, and it was then that she knew the man had been instructed to beat her into unconsciousness. But what good would she be to them in that state? There was only one option available to her, and Parker knew she would have to play it. As he swung at her again, she took a large breath and held it, slamming her eyes closed, and allowing her head to drop to her chest. She could only hope that he was dumb enough to think she was truly unconscious...
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Sydney burst into Raines office to find the man at his desk. Raines calmly looked up at Sydney, as though he’d been expecting exactly just such an entrance.
“You’re late, Sydney.”
“What?”
“I anticipated that you would come to your current conclusion at least forty minutes ago.”
“What have you done with her?” Raines simply smiled at the doctor, and Sydney leaned across the man’s desk, a dangerous sneer on his face. “Where is she?”
“What are you offering me in exchange for such information?”
Sydney moved quickly behind the desk, grabbing Raines by the lapels. “You had better consider just how soon the end of your life will come if you don’t tell me what you’ve done with her.”
The smile remained placidly on the reptilian man’s lips. “Now Sydney, surely you wouldn’t want to be the cause of any damage to Miss Parker...”
Sydney tightened his grip on Raines momentarily, before dropping his hands and moving away from the desk. He began pacing, and Raines allowed a long moment to lie in silence between them. Unable to take it any longer, Sydney turned toward him.
“What do you want?”
The irritating smile continued to color the man’s countenance. “What makes you think you have anything of value to offer me?”
“If I hadn’t, then we wouldn't be here doing this dance. Now stop wasting time. What do you want?”
“Your cooperation.”
“My cooperation in what capacity?”
“I want your cooperation to bring Jarod in.”
“You want me to betray his trust.”
“I want you to do your job, Sydney. We both know you no longer have the means to defy me.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You should have thought of that before destroying the DSA and files; a refusal would be very sad news for Miss Parker.” The smile on Raines’ face grew. “It’s one or the other, Sydney. You must choose.”
“You’re insane. You can’t ask me to-”
“-I’m not asking, doctor. You choose: Jarod’s freedom or Miss Parker’s life. I realize that this is a difficult decision for you, so I’ll give you a little time to think about it. As a matter of fact, I’ll even let you see Miss Parker.” Raines pressed a button on his intercom. “Mr. Lyle, can you come in here please?”
Lyle walked through the door, smiling at Sydney. “Hello, doctor.”
Sydney said nothing in response.
“Mr. Lyle, Sydney is contemplating a life-altering decision, and I told him that while he’s thinking it through, he could have a visit with Miss Parker. Is she ready for guests?”
Lyle stifled a chuckle. “I’m not really sure that’s she’s ready for primetime, but I’m sure Sydney won’t mind if every hair's not exactly in place, will you, Sydney?”
Sydney started for Lyle. “What have you done to her?”
He stopped when Lyle leveled a gun at Sydney’s midsection. “I wouldn’t get too excited, doctor. It could be bad for your health.”
“If you’ve inflicted permanent damage to her, Lyle, I’ll kill you.” He looked at Raines then. “I’ll kill both of you.”
Raines stood. “Stay calm, doctor; remember her life depends upon you.” He looked at his watch. “Give him an hour with her, Lyle.”
Lyle held the door open for Sydney. “He’ll need at least that much to try and clean her up...”
Stifling his urge to put his hands around Mr. Lyle’s throat, Sydney walked through the door, his stomach clenching with the thought of what the two of them had done to Miss Parker.
“Don’t think you can take much more, Missy...”
Her limbs felt as though the chains suspending them above her head would break them. But she managed a glare in the man’s direction as she snarled through gritted teeth.
“Give it your best shot, you neanderthal...”
The large man swung the bat again, this time hitting her in the right leg. Parker screamed as the bone snapped, sending shooting pains up her thigh and into her hips. He swung the wooden bat again, hitting her sharply in the kidney. Parker tried to suppress any sound, but a groan escaped. She wondered how far the man had been instructed to go; she couldn’t really remember how long he’d been at it already, nor could she recall when she was brought to the room she was in, or where it was located. Parker tried to focus her mind on something other than the pain. She tried to remember what happened. And as the bat struck her abdomen, it came back to her: Lyle. That twisted smile on his face filled her mind with the memory of him injecting her with something that knocked her out cold.
The bat lit into her again, this time snapping several ribs on her left side. She cried out in pain, tears streaming down her face; but there was no help for her, and it was then that she knew the man had been instructed to beat her into unconsciousness. But what good would she be to them in that state? There was only one option available to her, and Parker knew she would have to play it. As he swung at her again, she took a large breath and held it, slamming her eyes closed, and allowing her head to drop to her chest. She could only hope that he was dumb enough to think she was truly unconscious...
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Sydney burst into Raines office to find the man at his desk. Raines calmly looked up at Sydney, as though he’d been expecting exactly just such an entrance.
“You’re late, Sydney.”
“What?”
“I anticipated that you would come to your current conclusion at least forty minutes ago.”
“What have you done with her?” Raines simply smiled at the doctor, and Sydney leaned across the man’s desk, a dangerous sneer on his face. “Where is she?”
“What are you offering me in exchange for such information?”
Sydney moved quickly behind the desk, grabbing Raines by the lapels. “You had better consider just how soon the end of your life will come if you don’t tell me what you’ve done with her.”
The smile remained placidly on the reptilian man’s lips. “Now Sydney, surely you wouldn’t want to be the cause of any damage to Miss Parker...”
Sydney tightened his grip on Raines momentarily, before dropping his hands and moving away from the desk. He began pacing, and Raines allowed a long moment to lie in silence between them. Unable to take it any longer, Sydney turned toward him.
“What do you want?”
The irritating smile continued to color the man’s countenance. “What makes you think you have anything of value to offer me?”
“If I hadn’t, then we wouldn't be here doing this dance. Now stop wasting time. What do you want?”
“Your cooperation.”
“My cooperation in what capacity?”
“I want your cooperation to bring Jarod in.”
“You want me to betray his trust.”
“I want you to do your job, Sydney. We both know you no longer have the means to defy me.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You should have thought of that before destroying the DSA and files; a refusal would be very sad news for Miss Parker.” The smile on Raines’ face grew. “It’s one or the other, Sydney. You must choose.”
“You’re insane. You can’t ask me to-”
“-I’m not asking, doctor. You choose: Jarod’s freedom or Miss Parker’s life. I realize that this is a difficult decision for you, so I’ll give you a little time to think about it. As a matter of fact, I’ll even let you see Miss Parker.” Raines pressed a button on his intercom. “Mr. Lyle, can you come in here please?”
Lyle walked through the door, smiling at Sydney. “Hello, doctor.”
Sydney said nothing in response.
“Mr. Lyle, Sydney is contemplating a life-altering decision, and I told him that while he’s thinking it through, he could have a visit with Miss Parker. Is she ready for guests?”
Lyle stifled a chuckle. “I’m not really sure that’s she’s ready for primetime, but I’m sure Sydney won’t mind if every hair's not exactly in place, will you, Sydney?”
Sydney started for Lyle. “What have you done to her?”
He stopped when Lyle leveled a gun at Sydney’s midsection. “I wouldn’t get too excited, doctor. It could be bad for your health.”
“If you’ve inflicted permanent damage to her, Lyle, I’ll kill you.” He looked at Raines then. “I’ll kill both of you.”
Raines stood. “Stay calm, doctor; remember her life depends upon you.” He looked at his watch. “Give him an hour with her, Lyle.”
Lyle held the door open for Sydney. “He’ll need at least that much to try and clean her up...”
Stifling his urge to put his hands around Mr. Lyle’s throat, Sydney walked through the door, his stomach clenching with the thought of what the two of them had done to Miss Parker.
