Chapter 14, Part 5: Blackmail

        Next morning, the heavy mercenary brought his breakfast as usual, but wouldn’t talk when asked about the night’s excitement. After finishing, he cleaned up and prepared for his morning workout. But when he knocked on the door to be let out, his guards refused to open it.
        ”What’s wrong?” he asked.
        ”General’s orders,” was all the guard would say, refusing to answer any other questions.
        Two hours later, his guards opened the door. “Come with us,” one said curtly. They led him to the General’s office and motioned for him to proceed. He knocked at the General’s door.
        ”Mr. Redd. Come in and have a seat.” The General looked at the two mercenaries, then gestured with his chin towards the wall. They moved into position and stood watching.
        ”We had a little disturbance last night. Maybe you heard it?” Tracker nodded. “I thought you might like to see what we found.” He flipped a switch and a woman’s cry of pain filled the room. Tracker’s ears went flat and his eyes shot to the monitor screen.
        ”‘Nette!” he cried, half-standing. She struggled bare-breasted in the grip of two men while a third man, the Major, beat her with cold, scientific precision. He sank back into his seat, relaxing slightly. A very slight flaw in the image told him he watched a recording of earlier events. As long as the General’s men concentrated on ‘normal’ interrogation methods, he knew Antoinette would withstand them and guide the Defenders to the base.
        ”You know her,” said the General.
        ”I’ve seen her at the FORCE base before you got me out of there. That’s all.”
        ”Really? Pretty little thing, isn’t she? Stubborn, too. Haven’t been able to get anything out of her yet. What’s her last name?”
        ”I don’t know. I just met her a few times.”
        ”And I don’t suppose you know why she’s here, either.”
        ”No.”
        ”You don’t know anything that might help us figure out why she’s here?” Tracker shook his head. “Well, no matter. Sooner or later, she’ll talk. I’ve told them to get more severe with her. Let’s see how it is going now.” He pressed another button. The screen blanked, then a new picture formed.
        She lay naked on a large table, her wrists and ankles bound tightly to the corners, blood streaking her breasts, belly and thighs. A bloody scalpel stood point down in the wooden top of the table by her hip. The captain held a two-foot-long metal rod. He raised it and struck her across her stomach. There was an explosion of sparks and she screamed, convulsing with pain. He struck her across her stomach again, eliciting another scream muscles knotting as she fought her bonds.
        The General sniffed the air and smiled slightly. “And she means nothing to you, right?” he asked sardonically.
        ”General! Make them stop hurting her. I know her. I’ll do whatever you ask. Just stop hurting her!” Antoinette screamed again.
        The General smiled triumphantly and pressed a button. “Major?”
        ”Yes, sir?” The man on the monitor turned to the camera.
        ”That’s enough for now, major. I have what I need.”
        ”I want to see her,” Tracker demanded.
        ”Why, of course. You can see her as often as you like, as long as you behave yourself. You’ll also get to see her if you don’t cooperate, but she will be in a great deal of pain then. You do understand, I hope?” Tracker nodded tightly, ears flat. The General smiled and nodded again. “Very good.”
        He pressed the button again. “Major, I’m bringing someone to see her. Have her ready.” He stood. Tracker looked at the monitor again. The major laid down the rod, took the scalpel and cut the knots that held her ankles. She lay limply, only half-conscious. Tracker stood and left the office in the General’s wake, followed by the two guards.

* * * * *

        Some time later, someone lifted Antoinette up in their arms. “‘Nette!”
        She opened her eyes, focusing with difficulty on the furred face above her. Her lips curved in the ghost of a smile. “Tracker. I found you.”
        Tracker looked at the General, eyes burning. “I want food for her, and a place for her to sleep!”
        The General nodded. “Major, see to it.”
        ”And I want the handcuffs off her.”
        The General smiled and shook his head. “Not just yet. I don’t have a secure place to keep her, and she is still an unknown quantity. I don’t want to take any unnecessary chances.”
        ”If you want me to work for you, take off the cuffs!”
        The General stiffened, sudden rage burning in his eyes. “Don’t bargain with me, animal! You’ll work for me because I’ll torture her and pipe it into your room so you’ll hear and see every second of it if you don’t! Every comfort she gets, every bite of food she eats, you’ll have to earn for her. And every disobedience will buy her excruciating pain!”
        They locked eyes, trading glares for several seconds, then Tracker’s ears sagged. “Very well, General. You win.”
        The General smiled triumphantly. “I always do, Redd. I always do.”
        The private returned with a bowl of soup and several slices of bread and put them on the table. With his leg, Tracker pushed a chair over to the table and sat down. Holding her cradled in his arms, he began feeding her.
        Antoinette felt a sudden moment of disorientation. She found herself looking down into her own face, felt the spoon in her hand wobble, spilling soup on the table. ‘/What?/’ she felt his astonished thought in her mind.
        ’/Tracker?/’ .
        ’/'Nette!/’
        ’/Tracker. What is this?/’
        ’/I don’t know, ‘Nette. It feels almost like the dreams I’ve been having the last few nights; but waking dreams Did you just run all the way from Base on foot?./’
        ’/Oui./’
        ’/But, that’s over two thousand miles!/’
        ’/Yes, Tracker. I sensed you were in danger and ran out to find you. I followed you here!/’
        She gave a mental shrug. ‘/They took you away from me. I had to get you back./’
        ’/Then, this has to be some form of telepathy. You knew I was in trouble and were able to follow./’
        ’/I like it, mon amant. I like having you inside me./’
        ’/I like it, too, beloved. But back to more practical matters. Did anyone follow you?/’
        ’/Non, there is no-one with me. I came by myself without thinking to wait for the others. I did ask for help several times, but I don’t think anyone got through./’
        ’/Then we need to plan an escape. I won’t let them hurt you any more./’
        ’/I will come to you after it gets quiet tonight and then we will decide how to get you out of this place./’
        He hugged her and she glowed, basking in his sudden flare of pride for her. As he fed her, they described their ordeals to each other at the speed of thought. He pictured the base for her, pointing out where his cell and the General’s office were.
        ’/When you get out, go first to his office and get my sword and my radio. Then come to me./’
        In a few minutes, the food was gone. Tracker stood up, holding her in his arms. “Where are you going to put her?” he asked the General.
        The General shook his head. “Put her down, Redd. The major can get her settled. You come with me. I don’t think it would be very wise to let you know just yet where she will be housed. You might get some silly ideas about rescuing her and running, and that would never do.” Tracker stared at him rebelliously, holding her tightly. “Redd, don’t fight me,” the General said, with a cruel smile. “Don’t you think she’s had enough pain for one day?”
        ’/Go with him, Tracker. I will sleep and come to you this night. They can never keep us apart, coeur de mon coeur./’
        Reluctantly, he set her on her feet. The towel fell to the floor. He picked it up, wrapping it around her and tucking it clumsily under her arms. She smiled. ‘/You are better at taking my clothes off me,/’ she purred in his mind.
        He buried his muzzle in her hair. ‘/Be careful, ‘Nette. These are cruel men. Don’t anger them needlessly. I love you./’
        ’/I love you./’
        He hugged her, then released her and turned to the General. “Let’s go.” The General nodded and gestured at the door.
        After the door closed behind Tracker, the major turned to Antoinette. “Saved by the bell,” he said with a scowl. “But you would have talked, sooner or later.”
        She regarded him silently for a moment, then nodded. “Sooner or later,” she agreed.
        He scowled again, then seized her arm, She flinched away as he jerked her towards the cell. She stumbled and nearly fell. The towel dropped to the floor again and the major kicked it aside. “In here!” he ordered, pushing her a cot. “Lie down!”
        She obeyed. He stood looking at her for a moment. “You’re limber enough you just might be able to get your hands in front of you,” he said, taking another pair of handcuffs from his belt. He fastened them around her upper arms, just above her elbows, locking them together painfully. “There. I guarantee that’ll hold you.” He took a blanket from a shelf and threw it over her, then left, locking the door behind him.
        Exhaustion rose up in a dark wave and swallowed her.